


Last Orders

by BAAuthor



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Erotica, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2019-11-07 06:22:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17955251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BAAuthor/pseuds/BAAuthor
Summary: Charity and Vanessa meet at a nightclub and things get a bit steamy.  They leave each other without exchanging names and they think they'll never meet again.  However, Vanessa's job interview is about to get rather interesting.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> The basic summary is above, but where it goes from there is anyone's guess. How exciting!
> 
> This is pretty much AU, though a few recognisable scenes may creep in with my own added artistic licence.
> 
> All that's left for me to say is I hope you enjoy it and feel free to leave comments, it'll be very much appreciated :)

****

‘I can’t believe you persuaded me, Ness.’

‘Oh Rhona, where’s your sense of adventure?’

‘Back at home with Paddy and Leo, where I am meant to be right now instead of trying to regain my lost youth with you.  It’s the middle of bloody January!’ Rhona grumbles as she pulls her coat tighter around her body.  ‘I’ve got surgery tomorrow and you’ve got that job interview.’

‘That’s not until the afternoon.  I’ll be fine.’  Vanessa smiles at her best friend as they move closer to the entrance of the nightclub. ‘Besides, it’s a pub.’

‘You do realise that doesn’t make it mandatory to turn up with a hangover?’

‘Don’t be such a party pooper.’  Vanessa gives Rhona a gentle shove to her shoulder.  ‘So, you got any tips?’

‘Stay away from the vodka shots.’

Vanessa rolls her eyes.  ‘I mean to charm the landlady?  You visit the pub regularly, you must know what she’s like.’

‘Well, I got to know the old landlady pretty well, but I’m afraid you’re on your own with this one.’

‘Ah come on, surely you can give me a few pointers?’

‘I wish I could, but no can do.  Diane no longer owns the pub.  It’s been taken over.’ Vanessa goes to speak but Rhona stops her.  ‘And before you ask, no I haven’t met whoever it is.’

‘Great.  And here was me thinking I’ll be able to gain the upper hand.’

‘Now where’s _your_ sense of adventure?’ Rhona smirks.

Vanessa huffs and then turns to focus on the queue in front of her.  The icy air begins to bite at their skin.  Vanessa rubs her hands together and pulls her dress down to cover more of her legs. She looks around the group of rowdy youths in front of her.  She is now able to see the bouncers as they check IDs.  Gradually the line goes down and finally it is their turn.  The heat from the club swarms around their bodies while the music thrums through their veins.

Eventually, they make their way inside.  They drop off their coats and push their way through the gyrating bodies to the bar.

‘Blimey!  That was thirsty work.  What would you like?’ Vanessa practically yells to her friend.

 

*****  *****  *****

 

Four cocktails later and they are slumped in a corner booth near the dance floor.

‘Hmmm, I give a five,’ Rhona states.

‘Awww, come on.  That’s a bit harsh.  I’d say a six out of ten.’

‘I thought five was a push!  Look at him.  You can’t tell where his hair stops, and his beard starts!’

They burst out laughing, clinging to each other to make sure they stay upright.

‘Okay, okay,’ Rhona says gasping for breath.  ‘My turn.’ 

She looks around the darkened room for their next victim.  She spots two women stumbling out of the female toilets, one brunette and the other blonde.  They have their arms around each other’s shoulders and are wearing matching smirks.

‘What about her?’ she asks, pointing in their direction.

‘Who?  The dark-haired?’

‘No, the other one.’

Vanessa allows her eyes to roam over the woman’s figure. Her legs are shapely and every time she takes a step her calf muscles are defined.  Her red dress caresses the skin beneath as it hugs her curves in all the right places.  The V-neck plunge reveals enough to tease and leaves Vanessa wanting to taste the skin on display.  She licks her lips with the thought.  As the women draw closer to them, Vanessa’s eyes continue their exploration.  Her slender neck is framed by long, curly blonde hair as it drapes lazily over her shoulders.  The woman smiles and Vanessa wonders if her lips are as soft as they look. Vanessa moves her gaze upwards to find the woman’s eyes…staring at her.  Her heart crashes against its cage while her insides flutter like tiny butterflies. She is about to avert her gaze when the woman winks at her as they pass by before disappearing into the crowd. Vanessa feels heat stroke from her breasts to her cheeks.  Thankfully it is dark, and her flush goes unnoticed by her friend.  However, the woman’s wink did not.

‘Aye, aye,’ Rhona says nudging Vanessa.  ‘You’ve got to give her a ten for the wink alone.  So, what’s your verdict?’

‘Well, discarding the wink, it would be sinful to give her anything less than ten out of ten.’

Vanessa takes a sip of her drink, wetting her rather dry lips.

‘Tell her.’  Vanessa almost spits her drink all over her friend.  Instead, she casts a glare her way.  ‘Come on, Ness.  She’s the first ten you’ve given all evening.  And she winked at you.  If you ask very nicely, she may just show you how sinful she really is.’

‘Rhona!  Besides, the chances of me seeing her again in this crowd…’

‘Are very high.  She’s coming this way.’

Rhona slowly sips from her colourful concoction while her eyes are darting between her friend and the two women from earlier.  Vanessa’s eyes are darting everywhere but at the woman, until red stilettoes come into view, and then they slowly make their way up the woman’s form to her eyes and beaming smile.  She gulps.  The woman’s eyes sparkle with trouble.  The blonde places her palms on the table and leans slightly forward towards Vanessa. Vanessa quickly glances at Rhona only to find her friend trying to stop the brunette from slumping on her in a drunken state.  The brunette attempts to steal a taste of Rhona’s cocktail.

The blonde woman chuckles.  Its huskiness sends Vanessa’s heart rate into overdrive.

‘My cousin can be a bit of a handful.  She’s harmless really,’ the blonde says as she looks over at Rhona batting the brunette’s hands away.  She turns back and looks Vanessa in the eyes.  ‘Me on the other hand, I’m anything but.’  The woman leans forward so her hair is tickling Vanessa’s cheek as she asks in her ear, ‘How’d you rate me?’

The woman pulls back and under the multi-coloured strip lights, Vanessa watches as her smirk widens.

‘I – erm,’ Vanessa stutters and swallows.

‘Need to investigate more?  How about a test drive?’ 

Vanessa’s eyebrows draw together but before she is able to figure out what the woman meant, her hand is grabbed by the blonde and she is being dragged unsteadily towards the dance floor.  Vanessa looks helplessly back at Rhona.  Her friend is too busy occupied at putting space between her and her slouching companion.  Vanessa’s attention is swiftly brought back to the blonde woman now dancing in front of her.  Every movement is full of erotic poetry.  Her hips sway in time with the beat of the music.  Her arms wave in front of her head, eyes are closed, and blonde tendrils whip back and forth across her face.  Vanessa is mesmerised.  She desperately wants to reach out and touch her, but she remains rooted to the spot, following her movements with her eyes.  Yet, the next minute Vanessa gets her wish.  The woman takes hold of Vanessa’s hands and spins herself around, bringing their joined hands over their heads and down to her waist.  The woman’s back is now flush against Vanessa’s front. Heat floods through Vanessa’s breasts and slithers down to her core.  The heat intensifies when the woman gyrates against her body and uses her hands to guide Vanessa’s over the curves of her body.  Vanessa’s fingers itch with the need to feel more.

As the music drums through Vanessa’s ears she lets it control her movements.  Her own hips sway in time with the woman’s and her fingers grip her hips a bit tighter. This seems to encourage the woman as her hands reach backwards, caresses Vanessa’s bottom and gently pushes her own further against Vanessa’s stomach.  The woman turns and wraps her arms around Vanessa’s neck bringing their faces closer together.  Her thigh slides between Vanessa’s and she proceeds to carry out her own _Dirty Dancing_ moves.  Vanessa can’t help but join in with the erotic display.

The woman’s hot breath ghosts over Vanessa’s lips as their foreheads grind against each other.  Sweat merges with sweat like two raindrops gliding down a window to meet in the middle. A rush of helplessness invades her body as a tide of warmth crashes against her lips.  The woman’s insistent mouth dances with Vanessa’s, sending tremors along her nerves of the like she has never experienced before.  The feeling intensifies and she kisses the woman back, her hands clutch at the material of the woman’s dress as dizziness assaults her senses.  Vanessa’s lips part slightly, and this is enough invitation for the woman to slide her tongue inside.  Vanessa moans.  The sharpness of tequila soaking into her taste buds drives her on and she plunges her own tongue into the gaping cave of delights.  Their tongues wiggle, pulsate, and contort like an acrobat.  Breathing deeply, they pull apart, a smile lighting up their faces. Vanessa felt like a lost child who had been found.  She wanted more, craved the warmth she feels in the woman’s arms, the unfathomable sense of home as their lips touched.  She tilts her head up to kiss the woman again, but instead, the warmth is abruptly ripped away as Rhona barrels into them, yanking Vanessa away, turning her attention to the woman and pointing to the side of the dance floor.

‘I think your friend is ready to go home!’ Rhona shouts over the music.

They watch as the brunette woman attempts to flirt with a young man but only ends up falling at his feet, literally.  The blonde woman rolls her eyes.

‘Looks like her legs have set off in different directions again!’ the woman shouts.  She then turns to Vanessa.  ‘See you around, babe.’  The woman departs with one last wink.

‘I think we had better call it a night too,’ Rhona says, dragging Vanessa off the dance floor and towards the coatroom.  But all Vanessa wanted to do was go back to the woman.

Go back to the warmth of her arms and the nectar of her lips. Her attraction to the woman is like an oncoming storm.  Her curiosity is like the rolling thunder.  These unexplored feelings hit her like a bolt of lightning.  Yet, as they walk back out into the cold night air, the reality of the likely hood of seeing that woman again is next to none.  Vanessa knew life was cruel, but to have temptation put in your path only for it to be stolen away again is pure evil.  A part of her wished she had spent her last night in Hotten at home, finishing off a bottle of red.  Then she wouldn’t have tasted what coming home was like.  Come tomorrow she’ll be starting her new life in the picturesque village of Emmerdale.  Away from urbanisation.  Away from her childhood home.  Away from the blonde-haired angel with a devilish glint.     


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the kind comments and the kudos for my first chapter.
> 
> Things are going to get a lot more exciting now they've properly met and are going to be working closely with one another. I've always wondered what Vanessa would be like behind the bar on a more permanent basis. A lot of flirting and innuendos will no doubt occur.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

A piercing shrill drills its way into Vanessa’s brain.  She moans and pulls the cover over her head in an attempt to block it out. Its insistent screeching continues. She blindly reaches out for her phone and presses her fingers to the screen until the noise stops.  She burrows back under the soft, warm sheets. The sound of car horns and the steady hum of energy from urban life filter into her room from the street outside, arousing Vanessa from the comfort of her bed.  She stretches her arms above her head until her back makes a satisfying crack. Her eyes squint against the sunlight streaming in through the window, the curtains remain pulled back from the previous day.  As her blurry vision begins to clear, her eyes rest on the pile of boxes against the far side of her bedroom.  A mixture of excitement and trepidation swirls inside her.  Today she was starting her new life in Emmerdale. 

            Vanessa shuffles to the edge of her bed and lets her feet fall to the ground.  The cool wood seeps into the pores of her skin like snow.  With a yawn, she stands up and makes her way to the bathroom. She takes another step and immediately cries out in pain. She cradles her big toe in her hands, hops around on one leg, then falls back onto her bed.  Vanessa looks at the culprit; a small box now with a toe indentation in its corner.  She turns it around and is faced with the darkened label “Kirin”.  A thin layer of ice covers her heart, turning her insides to frost, a painful reminder of the past.  She grabs the black permanent marker from her bedside table and scribbles out the name.  She keeps scrapping it back and forth against the cardboard until she can see no more letters.  But as images of Kirin’s smiling face slithers out from her memories, her grip on the marker tightens and she continues to draw harsher lines.  Her hand speeds up, they become more erratic, her fingers start to turn white, her chest tightens, she breaths heavily through her nose, and then a “pop” sound echoes about the room.  Movement ceases.  She gazes down at the marker to find its tip has broken through.  She relaxes her shoulders and her breathing evens out.  The scribble looks like a thorn bush in a darkened forest.  She withdraws the marker and underneath writes “for charity” and then shoves the box to one side.  Today was not the day to have a dark cloud looming above her head.

            Vanessa makes her way into the bathroom and turns her shower on.  She waits until the glass doors are coated in steam before ridding herself of her pyjamas and stepping into the heat.  She flinches as her toes tingle when the warm water tickles her cool skin.  Water pounds onto her head like a cascading waterfall.  Vanessa closes her eyes, tilts her head back, and lets the water drops massage her forehead.

            Pictures from last night start to invade her mind. The blonde’s sweat as it glided down her forehead to mingle with her own.  The way the woman’s body’s furnace licked at the flames that started to simmer within her core.  The solid pressure of the woman’s thigh as it danced through her legs.  She replayed those images over and over again like photographs.

            Vanessa turns the heat dial down to cool the rising temperature of her body.  Her lips part as she inhales the condensation. The humidity coats her tongue like the moisture from the woman’s lips.  Her eyes squeeze tighter as she imagines the blonde is stood behind her.  Naked flesh against naked flesh.  Her breasts are pushed against her back like two warm pillows.  The woman’s hot breath tickles her neck as she leans in to mark her. Vanessa tilts her head to one side. The woman’s fingers play the melody of Vanessa’s body as they delicately pick out the right notes.

            Vanessa’s eyes spring open and she looks down to see her right hand poised at her hip bone.  Her fingers itch to carry on their journey.  Instead, she shakes her head and mumbles, ‘Get a grip woman.  It was just a drunken kiss.’  Yet, from the swirling tsunami inside her stomach, she knew the brief encounter with the wonton blonde was something different.

 

***** ***** *****

 

Vanessa slumps against the boot of her car after she places the last of the fragile boxes inside. The rest of her belongings are going to follow her down in the removal lorry.  Her sister Tracy, along with her husband David, are going to help her with the removal men once they arrive at her new house.  Her schedule is tight if she is to make her interview on time. 

            She closes the boot and looks up at her house; a place she once thought of as home, a place where dreams were meant to be built, a future to thrive in.  Instead, the home has become a house, a bare canvas for a new occupant to make their own. This was meant to be her forever. 

            Vanessa startles as she feels her mobile vibrate in her pocket.  She pulls it out and smiles at the name flashing on the screen.

            ‘Hi, Rhona.’

            ‘You all set to start this new life of yours in this quiet little village?’

            ‘From what I’ve heard, the village is anything but quiet.  Aren’t half the people in it related to one another?’ 

            ‘Yes, well.  Apart from that family…no, you are right.  I’m afraid its ripe with gossip and escapades.  What time do you arrive?’

            ‘If the journey’s good, I should arrive in the next hour.  I should be leaving in ten minutes so hopefully, I’ll be with you by one o’clock.’

            ‘When’s your interview?’

            ‘Two.  Doesn’t leave me much time to prepare.’

            ‘I’m sure you’ll be fine.  Just be yourself and you can’t go wrong.’

            ‘Thanks.’ The removal men give Vanessa a thumbs up. ‘It looks like we’re all set and ready to go.  I had better hit the road if I want to make it on time.’

            ‘Drive safely and I guess I’ll see you when you get here.  Eeeee, I can’t wait!’

            ‘Me neither.  The troublesome twosome back together at last.  Poor Paddy will not know what’s hit him.’

            After saying goodbye, Vanessa hangs up and gives one last look at her old house.

 

***** ***** *****

 

            ‘You have got to be kidding me!’ Vanessa groans.

            She is fifteen minutes away from arriving in Emmerdale, well, she would have been if she wasn’t stuck in traffic because of an earlier accident.  Half an hour she’s been sitting here with the only movement coming from her fidgeting fingers.  Her estimated arrival time on her satnav states one forty-five, one forty-six. Now that doesn’t leave her much time to prepare.  She quickly drops Rhona a text to meet at the pub after her interview. 

            She drums her fingers on the steering wheel. She opens her window and peers down the row of cars, but she can’t see anything.  Sighing, she closes the window again, forcing the cool air to seep back out. Turning up late for her job interview will not be a good start to her new life.  She gazes back to her satnav.  One forty-nine.

            ‘This is just perfect!  Late already.  Why did I think it was a good idea to have my job interview on the same day as my move? And now I’m talking to myself. This just gets better and better!’

            Just as she is about to ring the pub to say she was running late, the cars ahead of her begin to move.

            ‘Finally!’

            Slowly she inches forward and gradually picks up the pace.  As she rounds the corner, blue lights from emergency vehicles blind her.  Just beyond them, to the side of the road, there is a tractor with its grabber embedded into the side of a white van.  Luckily it went through the cargo hold at the back and no one appears to be severely injured.

            ‘Welcome to the countryside, Vanessa,’ she mutters to herself.

***** ***** *****

 

Vanessa drives into the small village and not soon after, sees the Woolpack.  She looks at the car clock.  Eight minutes past two.  _It could be worse_ , she thinks.  She quickly pulls up in the car park at the back, grabs her bag and practically falls out the door in her hurry.  She runs around to the front of the pub, takes a deep breath, and pushes the doors open. 

            Two men, look to be in their fifties, are sitting in the corner chatting while nursing their pints.  Vanessa moves further into the pub to see only the far table occupied by two men and a lady clad in wellies and green body warmers.  They are talking in breaks between mouthfuls of food and sips of drink.

            ‘What can I get ya, love?’

            Vanessa turns to the bar to see a vaguely familiar brunette woman standing behind it.  On closer inspection, her hair looks almost black, especially as it lays against her vibrant red jumper.  She rests one hand against the pump and the other is held on her hip.  Her smile is wide, putting Vanessa’s nerves at ease.  She smiles and walks towards the bar.

            ‘Is it always this quiet in here or have I come on a special occasion?’ she jokes.

            ‘I think Charity has _actually_ managed to scare away some of the punters.  Not hard really, considering the mood she is in today.’

            ‘Charity?’

            ‘Co-owner of this pub, my cousin, and the local she-devil. Not forgetting the bane of my very existence.  Anyway, what can I get ya?’

            ‘Oh, I’m not here for a drink, well, not yet. My name’s Vanessa, Vanessa Woodfield? I’m here for that job interview. Sorry, I’m late.’

            ‘Don’t sweat it, you’re already earlier than Charity would be for her shift and she lives upstairs.’  Vanessa laughs uncomfortably, not sure whether the woman is joking or not.  ‘Why don’t we go and sit over there.  Fancy a drop of wine?’

            ‘Erm, yeah, sure.’

            ‘Great.  My name’s Chas Dingle by the way.’

            ‘Nice to meet you, Chas.’

            Chas makes her way over to a table by the dartboard, bringing along with her a bottle of white wine and two glasses. Vanessa watches as she pours two rather large glasses.  She’s thankful that she does not need to drive anywhere later.

            The interview progresses with ease, the wine going a long way at relaxing her muscles and quieting her nerves.  It helps that Chas is easy to talk to.  She has an air of warmth that draws Vanessa in; it feels like she has known her for five years rather than five minutes.  Her smile is infectious, which Vanessa can’t help but reciprocate.

            They are in the middle of laughing at Chas’s story of their stripper night when a loud slamming noise is heard coming from the back, followed by a lanky tall boy with blonde hair making his way quickly into the bar.  His eyes are narrowed, shoulders tense and his lips are set in a thin line.   His temper is like a simmering pot, bubbling under the surface and ready to spill at any moment.

            ‘Not again,’ Chas sighs, closing her eyes and rubbing her temple with her fingers.

            Vanessa never really understood the phrase “time stood still”.  To her, it sounded like some pathetic fallacy people would say to dramatise what they felt. But as she watches a blonde angelic woman sweep through, dressed from head to toe in a grey power suit, eyes swarming with fire, she felt the cogs of her brain begin to slow down, her body muscles freeze over, and her jaw becomes slack.  She feels her breathing tighten and her eyes widen.     

‘Oh, come on Noah,’ the blonde says.  ‘I said I was sorry, didn’t I?  Babe, where you going?’

‘Anywhere you’re not,’ he shouts over his shoulder as he crashes through the front doors and out of sight.

            Charity sighs and is about to disappear back from where she came when Chas calls her name.  She turns around, not really taking note of Vanessa sitting opposite her.

            ‘What?’ she grumbles.

            ‘I’d like for you to meet our new barmaid,’ Chas smiles.  ‘Charity, this is Vanessa Woodfield.’

            As emerald eyes clash with oceanic blue, Vanessa can feel her cheeks warm under the intensity.  Charity’s eyes look bored and then recognition sets in.  She raises an eyebrow and her green eyes begin to sparkle, the corners of her lips fighting back a smile, but she loses the battle and they break into a smirk.

            ‘My day has just improved,’ Charity says. 

Charity walks over to the women, hips swaying with every step.  She leans forward and holds out a hand.  Eyes still transfixed on the blonde bombshell, Vanessa numbly reaches her own hand out and a blanket of warmth envelopes them as their skin connects.

            ‘I think we’re going to get on immensely,’ Charity says and follows it up with a wink.    

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the comments and kudos!
> 
> This one is short and sweet but they will get longer as the story progresses. Out of curiosity, do you prefer longer or shorter chapters?
> 
> I hope you guys have as much fun reading this one as I had in writing it.

Vanessa sips at her glass of wine while sneaking glances at Charity behind the bar.  She is currently serving a customer.  However, she is focusing more of her attention on acting sultry towards Vanessa rather than pulling a pint and the beer sloshes over the rim of the glass and down her arm.

            ‘Watch it!’ the man says.

          ‘Stop your moaning,’ Charity says as she places the pint in front of him and shakes her arm, droplets of beer splashes at her feet.  ‘You’ve got more for your money now.  That’ll be £2.50.’

            ‘Half of it’s over the bloody floor!’

            ‘Well come and lick it up then.’  Charity spreads her arms open in the direction of the spilt beer.

            The man shoves the money at her and walks off with his pint held away from his body.  He shakes his head as he walks towards his mates.

            Charity grabs a towel tucked away under the bar and is about to wipe her arm. She catches Vanessa’s eyes watching her and raises an eyebrow along with a corner of her mouth.

            ‘Unless you fancy licking me dry, Vanessa?’

           Vanessa’s gaze shifts to the table and her cheeks feel like flames are licking at her skin.  She attempts to hide her rosy features behind her glass of wine.  Chas is leaning against the other end of the bar as she watches the events unfold with an eye roll.

            ‘Do behave, Charity.  The poor girl hasn’t even started yet and you’ve already got her wanting to run for the hills,’ says Chas.

            ‘Vanessa’s more than capable of handling me, aren’t you babe?’  Charity wipes her arm, places the towel to one side and leans across the bar in Vanessa’s direction.  ‘Fancy another test drive?’ she smiles.

           Vanessa is saved from replying when Rhona walks through the doors.  A few tendrils of hair float out of place and her cheeks are slightly flushed.  Her eyes dart around the pub and then relax as they catch sight of Vanessa in the corner.

            ‘Sorry I’m late,’ Rhona sighs.  She slides her bag from her shoulder and takes the seat beside Vanessa.  ‘Pesky cat and even peskier owner.  I need a drink.’

            Vanessa reaches out for her glass of wine, but her fingers clutch thin air. Rhona picks it up instead and takes a couple of mouthfuls then replaces it.

            ‘Oi, that’s mine,’ says Vanessa.

            ‘Sorry, couldn’t wait.  Fancy another?’ Rhona asks as she reaches inside her bag for her purse.

            ‘Of course.  And for that, you can make mine a large.’

           Rhona smiles and walks over to the bar.  Chas begins to set about serving the vet when Charity slides in front of her from nowhere.  Chas’s eyebrows raise as she’s almost pushed to one side.

            ‘What can I get ya?’ Charity says.

            ‘Two white wines, please.  Oh, and make them large ones.’

            ‘Rough day?’

            ‘Nothing out of the ordinary.  All part of a hard day’s work at the vets.’

            ‘I’m afraid this one doesn’t know what that is, love,’ Chas speaks up from behind Charity.  She smiles at her cousin.

            ‘What?  A vet?’ Rhona asks.

            ‘No, a hard day’s work.’

            ‘Well, let’s just say my incentive has increased tenfold,’ Charity smirks. She casts a glance at Vanessa while she pours the drinks.

          Rhona glances between the two blondes with a furrowed brow.  Though the two new Dingles hadn’t been in the village long, the rumours were already rife and being in such a small village like Emmerdale, secrets do not stay secret for long and gossip spreads like wildfire, consuming everything it touches.  The Dingle family has been part of the village long before Rhona had moved to the place, but ever since she had been there, they had continued to grow, bringing with them chaos and disruption.  From what Rhona has heard already, it looks like the two new additions would be no different.  Rhona pays for the drinks and sits back down.

            ‘Be careful with that one,’ Rhona says to Vanessa, quickly glancing back to Charity and turning to her friend.

            ‘Sorry?’

            ‘Charity.  I hear she’s trouble.’

            ‘Just last night you told me to go for it.’

            ‘That was at the club.  We were both a bit tipsy.  It’s not like you asked her name or for her number.’

            ‘Well, I definitely know her name now.  As for her number, I’m bound to have that soon enough, I am working for her after all.’

            ‘In hindsight, I’m not sure getting a job here was such a good idea.’

            ‘Oh, for crying out loud, Rhona.  It’s just a job.  It’s not like she’s asked me to marry her!’

           ‘Oooo, definitely avoid that,’ Charity says, coming up behind Vanessa and Rhona, causing them to jump in their seats and turn to face the intruder.  ‘Marriage brings you a lifetime of heartache.  I should know, been there three times.  My last nearly killed me.’

            ‘Excuse me,’ Rhona says.  ‘I’m quite happily married.  It’s not all doom and gloom.’

            ‘What?  With Paddy? He makes cucumbers sound entertaining.’

            ‘You hardly know him.’

            ‘I hardly know Vanessa, but I can tell there’s a little blonde rocket woman under that prim and proper exterior.  Just needs the right igniter to set her off, isn’t that right, Ness?’  Charity winks towards the woman in question and swiftly carries on collecting glasses, leaving behind an extremely red-faced Vanessa and an awkward Rhona.

            Charity goes to collect glasses on the far side of the bar, away from where Vanessa and Rhona are sitting, when Chas catches her arm to gain her attention.

            ‘What do you think you are doing?’ Chas hisses.

            ‘Collecting glasses?  Make up your mind, Chas, I thought you wanted me to do some work.’

            ‘I meant with Vanessa.’

            ‘Nothing.’  A smirk crawls onto her face and her emerald eyes begin to twinkle.  ‘Well, not yet, anyway.’

            ‘You know you’re playing with fire, right?’

            ‘Come on Chas, it’s just a bit of harmless flirting.’

            ‘With you, nothing is ever harmless.’  Chas lets go of her arm and sighs.  ‘Be careful, alright?  You know what he’s like.  I don’t want Vanessa getting burnt in one of your games.’

          Charity’s irises darken and her eyes narrow.  ‘She won’t.’  She shoves past her cousin and makes her way to the kitchen, but with each step, she feels the unease blossom within her chest and crawls over her skin like ivy.  She is bored, and when Charity Dingle is bored, she is dangerous.  ‘But I might.’

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you all for your comments, it keeps me going! I am enjoying writing this. It's exciting not knowing exactly where it is heading. And, while angst isn't everyone's cup of tea, I'm afraid there'll be a few as drama's fun!. But no need to fret, all will work out in the end...eventually.
> 
> On another note, I'll try to update each week, but like you know, life has a way of rudely intruding. Plus I'm balancing life with trying to finish a novel for, fingers crossed, publication.
> 
> Finally, do you like the length of this chapter?
> 
> Hope you enjoy! I know I did!

Vanessa is standing in the middle of her bedroom, hands on her hips and a frown marring her face as she looks at the destruction strewn across the floor.  Her clothes are in undignified mounds scattered about her room with a couple of outfit choices spread neatly on her bed.  Her brain is like a washing machine, turning the choices laid out before her over and over again.  _It is just work_ , she thinks.  _It’s not like you’re going on a date with her._  The mere thought of a date with Charity sends her heart into a gallop. Her blood boils under the surface of her skin, pounding around the course of her body.  _This is ridiculous!_   Vanessa sighs and shoves the outfit she has in her hands to one side and picks another from her bed.

            It is her first day working at the pub and she is spending far too much time deciding what to wear.  If she carries on at this rate, she’ll be late.  Just as she is about to give up and go in what she is wearing, she hears Rhona’s voice call up to her from downstairs.

            ‘I’m up here!’ Vanessa shouts down as she holds the outfit against her body and looks in the mirror.   She tilts her head one way and then the other.  The stairs creak against the weight of her friend as she makes her way up.

            ‘Ooo, that looks nice,’ says Rhona as she steps into the bedroom.

            ‘You think?’

            ‘What’s the occasion?’  Rhona walks over to her bed and runs her eyes across the other outfit on display.

            ‘I’m deciding what to wear for work.’

            ‘And what’s wrong with the clothes you’ve got on?’

            ‘It’s not enough…’

            ‘To impress Charity?’ Rhona finishes off.  She raises an eyebrow when she locks eyes with her friend through the mirror.

            ‘It’s not like that,’ Vanessa replies, turning her eyes back to her outfit.

            ‘Hmmm.’  Rhona’s eyes drift to the outfit on the bed and she touches the material of the top. ‘You keep telling yourself that.’

            ‘She’s my boss, Rhona.’

            ‘I don’t think that will stop her, Ness.’

            ‘I’m not interested.  It was a drunken kiss, that’s all.’

            ‘Try telling your face that.’  Rhona smiles.  ‘I think you should go for that one,’ she nods towards the outfit Vanessa is currently holding up.

           It is a white strappy top that clings to her body like a second skin. The soft cotton feels like the silkiness of a rose petal.  She is wearing black, skinny tight jeans that caress her buttocks, advertising them to be touched.  A pink blazer finishes the outfit off and matches the blush highlighting her cheekbones.

            ‘Are you nervous?’ Rhona asks.

            ‘Of course not.’  Vanessa sucks in her bottom lip and looks away from Rhona.  ‘A little, maybe.’  She sighs. ‘She’s my boss, Rhona.  But I like her.  I like her a lot.  She makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.’  She looks towards her friend, eyes shimmering with vulnerability. ‘What am I going to do?’

            She couldn’t do it again, be given hope for it to be ripped from her grasp. Her friends warned her about Kirin. Time and time again they told her to walk away before he dragged her down with him.  But she never listened, because no one knew him as she did.  He told her he was a better man because of her. She made him want to be a better person. Each time was a fresh start, a new him, and every time she believed him until it was too late.  All that’s left to show from their relationship are shattered pieces of glass where her heart should be and now, she feels herself about to repeat the same mistake.  Rhona said she was trouble.  She knew she should listen to her friend.  The only problem with that is, trouble has a way of luring her in and before she is aware of what is happening, she has already fallen into its deep trap.

            Rhona slowly walks over to her friend and rests a hand on her shoulder. Their eyes connect in the mirror and Rhona smiles.

            ‘Enjoy the moment, I guess.  Just keep your guard up.  She plays games.’

            Vanessa smiles weakly.  She strokes down the material of her clothes, brushing off an imaginary bit of dirt on her blazer.

            ‘What time is your shift?’

            ‘Twelve to five.’  Vanessa turns around and looks at Rhona.  ‘How busy is it, normally?’

            ‘It’s the lunchtime rush, and it is Saturday.  They really want to throw you into the deep end, don’t they?’

            ‘That bad, eh?’

            ‘You’ll be fine.’  Rhona reaches out and rests her hand on Vanessa’s forearm.  ‘Just smile, wink, and if all else fails, pull your top down a bit.’

            ‘Rhona!’

            ‘What?  If you mess up, Charity will be distracted enough to ignore it.’  Rhona smiles and quirks an eyebrow.

            ‘Won’t distract Chas though, will it?’

            ‘No, but I have a feeling Charity will be the one overseeing things,’ Rhona smirks.

            ‘Shut up you.’  Vanessa winks.  ‘I better get dressed.  Got to make a good impression on my first day.’

            ‘I don’t think there’s any trouble with that.’

 

*****  ***** *****

 

Charity is leaning against the far side of the bar, nibbling the end of a pen as she studies a crossword with a frown.  Her eyes widen and she scribbles in the magazine. Vanessa watches her from the entrance of the pub.  Her insides dance across her stomach and she feels a smile slide onto her face.  She wishes her lips were that pen.  Her skin were the pages of the magazine Charity caresses with her fingers.  Vanessa rubs her forefinger against her thumb over and over again.  Vanessa inhales deeply, pulls her shoulders back and makes her way over to Charity.  She stares at her.

            ‘I’m not part of a museum,’ Charity says without taking her eyes from her puzzle. ‘You can dump your stuff in the back room.’  Charity points through to the door that leads to the living room.

            Vanessa’s smile deflates.  She fumbles with undoing the buttons of her coat as she walks past Charity and into the living slash dining slash kitchen room.

            She didn’t expect this.  Sure, she didn’t think Charity would embrace her with a hug and a kiss, but being ignored? The other day she was full of innuendos and “come hither” looks that turned Vanessa’s core into a raving volcano ready to erupt.  Today it is as if the ice age has returned.  Charity invites her in with words yet pushes her away with actions – actions which slip from her as easy as melting ice.

            Vanessa stares at a point in front of her, eyes fixed on nothing in particular, mouth loose.  A frown settles, giving way to the clouds that are forming in her mind.

            ‘You alright, love?’ Chas asks as she walks into the room, a smile on her face.

            Vanessa blinks and refocuses.  She turns around and smiles at Chas, who is wearing a flowy red blouse and dark denim jeans.  Her dark hair hangs in ringlets around her shoulders, tickling down onto her chest.

            ‘Yeah.’  Vanessa shrugs out of her coat and hangs it up behind the door along with her bag. ‘Is Charity alright?’  She walks towards Chas who is in the middle of making a cup of tea.

            ‘Charity?  She’s always alright, in the end.  Why? What has she done now?’

            ‘No, no, nothing.  She just seems a bit…off.’

            ‘That’s just Charity being, well, Charity.  You’ll get used to it, love.  Do you want a cuppa?’

            ‘Thank you, but I better get to work.  A few punters were waiting.’

            ‘You’ll get that a lot when Charity is on shift.  Brilliant, manipulative mind, but zero energy when actually putting any effort into this business.  If you need any help, just mention money and Charity will be right by your side.’

            The kettle makes a screeching noise and Chas turns her attention to the screaming mechanism.  Vanessa weakly smiles and walks back into the bar area.  Charity is flirting with an unknown man.  Her chest is practically pressed up into his face.  Vanessa swallows and feels her eyes sting with tears. She harshly brushes them away before Charity turns to face her.      

            ‘Ah, the newbie has returned.  I think it’s about time I take your virginity,’ Charity smirks.

            Vanessa frowns and, unwillingly, her cheeks begin to flame, she looks to the ground.

            ‘In pulling your first pint,’ Charity adds with an undercurrent of amusement in her voice.

            ‘I-‘Vanessa swallows while avoiding eye contact.  ‘I have poured pints before.’

            ‘Yes, but,’ Charity slides up behind Vanessa and grabs a clean pint glass, places it under the Fosters pump and takes hold of Vanessa’s hand and places it on the same pump.  Charity’s fingers slide in between Vanessa’s.  They fit together like two puzzle pieces as they pull the pump down several times. Vanessa closes her eyes and embraces the warmth that seeps through her skin like lava.  ‘Have you ever poured a pint that gets,’ and Charity leans forward and whispers into Vanessa’s ear, ‘every, last, drop?’

            Vanessa’s heart is crashing against her ribcage and her breathing has tightened. Charity picks up the pint of beer and places it in front of a customer with a smile and a hand held out for the money. As the warmth disappears from Vanessa’s back, so did the comfort of something real.  Barely five minutes into her first shift and she’s already crumbling beneath the toxic touch that is Charity Dingle.

            ‘Oh God,’ Vanessa mumbles to herself.  She gazes at the way Charity’s buttocks sway with her hips; the way they whisper for her to caress the naked flesh that lies beneath.  She squeezes her eyes shut and groans, the vibrations tickling her throat. 

            Charity is an enigma wrapped up in riddles upon riddles.  She is flirting with her one minute, but then, just as quickly, turns her attention back to the man she was previously fluttering her eyelashes at.  From the first night they met, Vanessa knew Charity was a woman that never chased, but rather sat back and waited for the prey to come to her, enticing them in with a few choice words and a wink.  The art of seduction is child’s play for the likes of Charity.  The man’s puppy dog expression gives testament to that.  But underneath the brash exterior, Vanessa senses a fragility that clings to the air around her.  It is seen in the way her arms are folded across her chest, the way she holds herself back from leaning all the way towards the man.

            A group of laughing girls coming in through the entrance breaks into her thoughts and she turns to serve them.  As she sets about getting their drinks, she tries to ignore the husky rasp of Charity’s voice when she giggles at something the man has said.  This is going to be a long day.

 

***** ***** *****

 

An hour into her shift and Vanessa’s feet are already hurting.  Rhona wasn’t kidding when she said it was a busy time.  It didn’t help that Charity would rather practise her flirting techniques than pull pints and collect food orders.  She also had a habit of checking her phone on a regular basis; she is acting like a teenager.

            Charity is in the middle of pouring out a couple of glasses of wine when her phone starts to vibrate against the wooden surface of the bar.  She immediately pauses and abandons the order to answer it.

            ‘What’s happening?’ Charity questions to the person on the other end of the phone.  Her voice is sharp and her eyes narrow.  Her brows deepen.  ‘You idiot! I told you, you should have taken me with you.’  She glances across to Vanessa.  ‘Hold on,’ and she holds her hand against the mic of the phone and turns her attention to the other woman.  ‘Can you finish off this order?  Cheers babe,’ she says and disappears into the back room without waiting for an answer. 

            Vanessa follows her with her eyes and lingers on the spot from which she disappears from sight.  She wonders what could have happened to have hardened Charity’s eyes that quickly. She can hear a tightness in the woman’s voice before the slamming of the living door shuts off all sound.  A cough from behind her brings her back to the abandoned customer.  Vanessa takes a deep breath and plasters a fake smile on and turns back to the gentleman.

            ‘Sorry about that.’

            Vanessa continues to make pleasantries with people, yet her mind is with the woman in the living room.

            Charity was angry, that wasn’t hard to miss, but there was a worry, it could be heard in the wavering of her words.  She obviously felt something for this person, but to what extent.  This brought to light how much Vanessa didn’t know about Charity.  Was she in a relationship already?  If she is, is it with a woman?  Man? The idea that she is attached sends a chill down Vanessa’s spine.  Jealousy constricts her insides like a snake.  She knows it’s irrational to feel this way, but when have emotions been rational?

            At that moment, Chas storms into the bar, hands clenching into fists at her sides, her nostrils flaring with anger that tightens her facial features. Vanessa watches as she takes a couple of deep breathes before plastering on a fake smile to greet her customers.

            Vanessa is in the middle of pouring a pint when the pump splutters and gurgles and she is left with bits of foam filling her glass.

            ‘Barrel needs changing,’ she says to Chas, who is halfway through an order for a crowd of rather rowdy young men.

            ‘I believe Charity is already in the cellar.’  She briefly looks towards Vanessa and smiles.  ‘In between caring about herself and having a bout of laziness, I’m sure she’ll be able to help you.’  

            Vanessa excuses herself and makes her way to the cellar.  The door is already open, she pauses at the top, straining her ears for any sound.  Nothing. The dank, musky smell of beer drifts up the stairway and weaves its way into the fabric of her clothes.  She makes her way down the stairs.  She sees shelves laden down with boxes and an assortment of acholic beverages on rows, barrels aligned along the far wall, a burgundy coloured two-seater situated in the middle of the room, but no Charity.   

            She reaches the bottom of the stairs and heads towards the barrels.  Still, there was no sign of Charity.  Sighing, Vanessa wipes her hands against her jeans and sets about changing the barrel.  She goes to attach the hose to the new nozzle when there’s a hissing noise and she is being sprayed with beer.  Her white top becomes flimsy and see through as it sticks to her skin.  Her hands flare around in front of her face trying to stop the liquid from drenching her further.

            Amidst the chaos, she hears heavy footfalls skitter across the concrete floor, material rustling under quick movement, and then everything goes quiet. Vanessa wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and looks up to find the barrel securely attached to the hose and ready for use.  Charity is standing beside it, wiping her hands on a towel and looking the eponym of calmness.

            ‘Blimey woman, what do you think you’re doing?  You do know there are easier ways of getting a drink,’ she smirks.

            A little bit pissed off at Charity’s hot and cold attitude, Vanessa snaps.  ‘I had it under control.’

            Charity raises an eyebrow.  ‘Yeah, looked like it from where I was standing.  More like having a fight with Medusa’s hair. I thought you said you had previous experience.’

            ‘I do.  But accidents happen,’ Vanessa huffs.

            Charity’s eyes glide takes in Vanessa’s wet top.  She smirks, watching the woman’s firm form ripple under the drenched material.

            ‘A few inches lower and it would have looked like it did.’

            Vanessa’s eyes turn to slits as she stares at the blonde woman in front of her.

            ‘If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to go home and change.’

            Vanessa brushes past Charity, but she gets a couple of steps past only to be stopped by Charity’s grip on her forearm, forcing her to turn around and look at her.

            ‘Woah, no need for that.  We’ve got a perfectly good shower upstairs.’

            ‘And what about clothes?’

            ‘Well, it’s just your top that got caught, you can borrow one of mine.  I’ll lay one out for you.’

            The thought of wearing Charity’s clothes sends a thrill through her body. She can imagine the scent of rose petal water lingering in the fabric from when Charity soaked in the bath.  The scent reminding her how the same garment hugged Charity’s skin; she can pretend she is being hugged by Charity.  She can feel the familiar tingling sensation creep up her chest and quickly speaks before she is left incapable of doing so.

            ‘Thanks for the offer, but-‘

            ‘You’re still on shift.  It’s either that or finish it smelling of rancid beer.’

            They stare at each other for a few seconds.  It is like the undercurrent of the ocean crashing against the sharp edges of raw emeralds.  Charity’s eyes harden as she sets the challenge.  Vanessa’s jaw clenches under the smug arrogance of the woman’s gaze, knowing she is going to give in.

            ‘Fine,’ Vanessa spits out through clenched teeth, yanking her arm out of the woman’s grasp.  She turns on her heel and starts to make her way up the stairs, shouting over her shoulder, ‘It had better be a nice top!’

            The familiar sense of satisfaction cloaks itself around Charity; it is seen in the slight curve at her mouth’s corner, the arrogant rise of the eyebrow above a gleeful eye, and the jutting hip as she relaxes into her confident stance.

            Her trouser pocket begins to vibrate, and she reaches inside for her mobile.  She looks at the screen and her smile disappears. She answers.

            ‘This had better be more than a bum dial.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooo, who is Charity on the phone to? What could have gone wrong? Any guesses? I'd love to hear your theories.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about the lengthy wait for the update, but I've suffered from the serious condition called Writer's Block. Thankfully, my condition is getting better and my recommended doses of Vanity has had a positive effect. Hopefully, I'll be back on form soon. 
> 
> Anyway, I've had so much fun writing this chapter and I hope it was worth the wait.
> 
> Once again, thank you so much for all your comments and am loving the interaction. Please keep them coming! I'm thriving on them! 
> 
> And pssst. The end of this chapter may give you a clue as to who could have been on the other end of that phone call. Exciting times lie ahead!

Charity hangs up on her call before the person on the other end can utter another word.  She shoves it back into her pocket, sighs, and clenches her jaw. Rage burns at her insides like poison running through her veins, eating away at her bit by bit, eventually to be weakened by its consumption.  The building toxicity is released with one swift kick against an empty barrel.  A throbbing pain now shoots through her and she cringes, hopping back and forth on her left leg while her right foot dangles in the air.

            ‘Stupid, stupid, stupid,’ Charity mutters to herself.

            Charity stomps up the cellar stairs and slams the door behind her.  She is about to head into the back room when Chas calls out to her from the bar.

            ‘Is Vanessa alright?  She went to change a barrel and I haven’t seen her since.’

            ‘Er, yeah, she’s fine, Babe.  Got a bit drenched, that’s all.  She’s gone for a shower.  Gonna lend her one of my tops.’  Charity briefly smiles and turns on her heel.

            ‘Are you okay?’ asks Chas, a frown marring her face.

            ‘Fine, Babe, fine.’  Charity edges towards the back room.  ‘You know, busy, busy, busy.’  She then practically runs up the stairs leaving her dumfounded cousin staring at an empty space.

            ‘But you’re never busy,’ Chas says to herself before shaking her head and turning back to the waiting punters.

            Charity makes her way to her bedroom, but as she passes the bathroom, she hears the shower running.  When she draws closer, she notices the door is a jar.  She knew she had forgotten to tell Vanessa something.  She was too distracted by the way her skin rippled underneath the soaked material to mention to her new barmaid that the bathroom lock wasn’t working properly.

            She knew she should walk past.  It was wrong to pry, wasn’t it?  Spying on a naked Vanessa isn’t the best way to gain the woman’s trust.  Trust?  When did she start caring enough about Vanessa to want her trust?  Vanessa is a distraction, nothing more.  However, the increased pounding of her heart and the sick feeling in her stomach is telling her otherwise.

            Charity once thought trust and love came in the same package.  However, that illusion was dissolved long ago.  She has now learnt that, no matter how much you love someone, if there is no trust, it wouldn’t last.  Unfortunately, she learnt that the hard way.  She thought she was in love with Jai, thought that she could trust him.  He knew what she was like from the start, yet he still wanted her, and she wanted him. For the first time, she fell in love without the need to give something in return.  But it was a lie.  She thought he accepted her.  But no one could.  No one wanted to.  A part of her understood why.  She was, no, is a chancer.  She looks after herself, always has done.  Well, no one else has.  The only thing she really trusts is her family, and that is at a push.  Once the trust is broken, that is when the lies are told. And she is an expert at it.  How can she begin to trust others when she can’t even trust herself?

            Charity lets out a deep breath and leans against the bathroom doorframe. She closes her eyes.  She can hear the cascading shower as it warms the naked body inside.  She may not want to pry, but there is nothing stopping her lustful thoughts.  She squeezes her eyes tighter and begins to imagine the water caressing Vanessa’s body.

            Droplets massage Vanessa’s scalp and as they continue to stroke her hair, her blonde tendrils darken.  They continue their journey down her neck to rest at the pulse beating in her dip before trickling over the valley of her breasts.  Charity wishes her lips were there to catch the drops, to lick them away and warm the path they travelled.  Droplets carry on coating the firm skin in a layer of sheen from which the bathroom light bounces off of, shrouding her body in a halo.  Each drop is Charity’s finger making its way along the woman’s contours; memorising, indulging.  She is the droplet that glides its way to Vanessa’s belly button, dips into the cave and back out again.  She is the firm pressure against her thighs as the droplets grip at her skin. Vanessa tilts her head back under the showerhead and she is there caressing her exposed neck with her lips.  She imagines feeling Vanessa’s muscles tense as she sucks on her skin, the ripples of pleasure pulsating between the two of them, marking her so everyone knew she was hers.  Her own body tingles with the thought and she squeezes her thighs together to ease the ache in her core.   

            Charity squeezes her legs together and shifts slightly.  Her breathing shallows as her mind begins to spiral further into her lustful thoughts; Vanessa’s eyes would turn into blue holes as she gives in to the passion that is fuelling their bodies, her lips would part as she tries to suck in the pressing need for oxygen, her body would quiver under her slightest touch.  Charity would play Vanessa like a piano, caressing the ivory skin until she played her last note.

            She shakes her head from the dangerous territory her thoughts have wandered in to.  Her eyes widen slightly, and she is disturbed to feel a weakness take hold; this need to make Vanessa feel everything she is feeling.  She barely knows the woman, yet, a part of her wants to get to know her, _really_ get to know her.  And then Charity remembers her phone call.  Guilt licks at her insides and the flames begin to singe the edges of her gut.  She’s been burnt too many times to get caught in the blaze again, but from the first moment she saw Vanessa, her fuse was lit, and now, as an unfamiliar feeling washes over her, she knows it isn’t going to be put out easily.

            A tiny gasp is heard from behind her.  Charity spins around and finds Vanessa standing in the bathroom doorway, her hair is damp around her shoulders and her right-hand is clutching at the towel.  _When did the shower stop?_ Charity thinks, but the thought swiftly drifts from her mind as her eyes catch sight of a water droplet falling from the tip of Vanessa’s hair onto her pale skin.  It meanders its way over Vanessa’s flushed skin and disappears between the crease of her breasts peeking over the towel’s edge. It’s not until she looks up from the tempting sight does Charity realise, she has taken a step closer to her new barmaid.

            Charity watches the realisation settle over Vanessa in the swallowing of her throat.  Her knuckles tense further as she clings to the towel.  Yet, she does not make any attempts to move away.  In fact, she notices Vanessa has subconsciously gravitated towards her, seen in the slight leaning of her body.

            ‘Do-do you always perv on new employees?’ Vanessa stutters.  Speckles of red hue crawl its way up her chest and onto her cheeks.

            Charity’s eyes widen, but her trademark smirk soon makes a reappearance along with the glint in her eyes.

            ‘Only mouthy, stuck up ones who lie about having previous experience.’

            Vanessa’s shoulders tense, eyebrows draw inwards, and her lips press thinly together.

            ‘It was a dodgy barrel.  Besides, you were down there already, why didn’t you change it?’

            ‘Whoa, Babe, it was just a joke.  Five minutes into the job and you think you already call the shots.’

            Vanessa takes a step back and looks away as it dawns on her she is, in fact, demoralising her boss and on her first day nonetheless, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…’

            ‘No, save it.  I rather like my barmaids with a bit of bite.’  Charity leans in and whispers, ‘More fun that way.’  She winks at Vanessa, turns around and walks off in the opposite direction towards her bedroom.  ‘I’ll just get you that nice top, shall I?’ she calls over her shoulder and closes the door behind her.    

            Vanessa nibbles on her bottom lip as her thoughts swirl around like a whirlpool, pondering on the being that is Charity Dingle.  Twice in one day, she has left her wondering what to feel. Emotions are like temperatures; attraction is warm, curiosity is hot, and anger is boiling, while hate can feel cold, almost to the point of freezing.  Charity has already made Vanessa feel these in varying degrees. There is no doubt about it, the blonde bombshell is toxic, but she’s toxicity which flows through her veins and she is already craving another dose.  Rhona’s words whisper in the dark recess of her mind.  Vanessa knows Charity is trouble with a capital ‘T’ but is she worth the risk?  A game is at play, but what is it?  And is Vanessa able to deal with the eventual heartache, as there is only one way this is going to end, relationships like these always do.

            Charity’s bedroom door reopens and the lady in question is brandishing a flowing black, long-sleeved blouse with a gold zip that runs down the chest area. It is a couple of sizes too big, but she can tuck it into her trousers, Vanessa thinks.  Charity struts over to Vanessa and chucks the clothing at her, almost causing Vanessa to drop her towel.

            ‘Nearly,’ Charity smirks.  She is about to carry on past but pauses and turns back to Vanessa.  ‘Be careful, that zip has a tendency to slide down.’  She winks and walks off, back down the stairs, leaving behind a cage full of butterflies fluttering around inside Vanessa’s stomach.     

 

***** ***** *****

 

Fifteen minutes later, Vanessa reappears into the bar, freshly made up with the use of Charity’s make-up and blouse, with the addition of a heady sweet odour of rose petals that clings to the material of the top. Every time Vanessa moves, the scent drifts up into her nose; it comforts her like a favourite blanket.  The scent is unexpected.  Vanessa anticipated a sour, acidic smell, rather than this earthy, heavenly aphrodisiac.  It is like the top is telling her there is another side to Charity.  However, as she watches Charity flutter her eyelashes at another man, it leads her to believe the blouse is misleading.  Taking a deep breath and plastering on a smile, Vanessa walks into the bar and greets the waiting punters. 

As she begins serving two ladies, her skin begins to tingle.  She ignores it and grabs a bottle of white wine from the fridge.  As she pours the wine she carries on conversing with the ladies.  The tingling sensation reappears.  Her pouring slows as she attempts to brush it away.  The ladies pay, take their drinks and walk off to sit down.  Vanessa is about to serve an elderly gentleman when the tingling feeling is accompanied by a chill running down her spine.  She abruptly turns her head, her ponytail whipping around her neck, and sees Charity casually leaning against the bar.  Her back is resting against the wooden surface, a glass of white wine poised to her lips, and her eyes are fixated on Vanessa’s every move.  A gentle smile, or the start of a smirk, Vanessa cannot tell, lift at the corner of Charity’s mouth, which is slightly obscured by the glass.  The cold tingle is immediately taken over by the ever-present warming blush.

            Vanessa tries to cover up her body’s response by saying, ‘Thirsty work, is it?’ She nods at the wine glass in Charity’s hand.

            Charity lowers the glass and her smile widens, yet she does not make any attempt to move.

            ‘What can I say, the man offered me a drink.  It would have been rude of me to say no.’

            ‘Perks of the job?’

            ‘One of many.’  Charity winks at Vanessa and then unashamedly runs her eyes over the smaller woman’s form. 

Her emerald orbs caress the curve and dip of the woman’s hips and then strokes over her pert breasts hidden behind a sheet of fabric.  Vanessa’s nipples strain at the attention she is receiving.  She has given up trying to restrain her body’s reaction to her boss, it is futile.  After all, it’s not like Charity hasn’t already noticed.

‘And it looks like I’ve found another,’ Charity says.

Vanessa frowns, but before she can reply, Chas walks in from the back and stops.  Her head turns left then right and back again.  Eyes watching them both like a spectator at a tennis match.

‘Have I missed something?’ Chas asks.

‘Nothing at all, Babe. Just admiring my surroundings.’ Charity smirks towards Vanessa and takes a sip of her wine.  Her eyes glance over to her cousin.

‘And our stock by the looks of it.  Charity, have you done any work today?  I thought the point of you buying into the pub was for a fresh start.’

‘Will you just chill, Babe. The lunchtime rush is over. People have been fed.  No one wants a top up.  Ness and I were simply getting to know each other better, weren’t we Babe?’

Charity looks back at Vanessa, eyebrow raised.  Vanessa’s eyes narrow.  Their icy blueness swims with a fiery passion.  They sparkle like the sun hitting the ocean waves.  As much as she hates to admit it, she’d love to wipe that smirk off Charity’s face, preferably with her own lips. 

‘Something like that,’ Vanessa replies.

‘Well, whatever it is, you can do it later.  Vanessa, you can go on your break, and Charity,’ Chas sighs.  ‘At least look like you’re busy.  Meanwhile,’ Chas walks over to the disgruntled older gentleman waiting at the end of the bar behind Vanessa.  ‘ _I’ll_ serve this gentleman, shall I?’

With that, Chas turns her back on the other two.  They continue to stare at each other; Charity with raised eyebrows and Vanessa’s eyes narrow further.  Vanessa huffs and walks into the back, closing the door behind her.  Charity folds her lips inwards on each other and rolls her eyes. She places her glass of wine to the side and turns around as she hears someone approach.

‘Right, what can I get ya?’

 

***** ***** *****

 

Vanessa has been gone for fifteen minutes.  Charity has been getting on Chas’s nerves for the last ten.  Charity has so far managed to completely blank a customer who is right in front of her because staring randomly at a spot on the bar counter while playing with a beer mat was apparently a more conducive way of spending her time.  She had collected all of three glasses when about six still remained on the tables.  The only work she had done was to serve Paddy a couple of pints, but that was only to find out gossip about Vanessa.  All Paddy knew was that she was a close friend of Rhona’s and they used to be wild party animals in their days at university.  Once deducing Paddy was no help at all, she went back to prop up the bar with her glass of wine.  Chas finally had enough, so when someone ordered crisps and there was none on hand, it was the perfect excuse to get her cousin to do something productive.

            ‘Charity, can you go out back and get a new box of Cheese and Onions crisps, please?’ Chas asks.

            ‘And what’s wrong with you getting them?’

            ‘You can get them or, you can man the bar?  Your choice.’

            Charity gazes around the pub and as her eyes look towards the entrance, Megan, Jai and Nicola walk in.  She sneers at their presence and decides to take the lesser of the two evils. Besides, she has a pressing matter that needs dealing with.

            ‘Fine.’  Charity places her empty wine glass on the counter.  ‘I’ll go and retrieve.’

            ‘Thank you.’

            Charity saunters out into the back, straight past the crisps and instead heads to the door that leads into their living quarters.  She feels her heart pound against her chest as she pushes the door open to see Vanessa brush her hands together, an empty plate lays abandoned on the table in front of her.  Vanessa’s back is to Charity.  She pushes back her chair with a squeak and stands.  She goes to pick up her plate when movement out of the corner of her eye catches her attention.  She turns her head to find Charity making determined strides towards her, her eyes full of untamed fire with their greenness blossoming like a forest in the heat of summer. Their eyes lock and Vanessa can feel her own heart quicken.  She takes a step back, hitting the edge of the table.

            ‘Come here,’ Charity says, voice rough with passion.

            Vanessa has no time to reply as her lips are consumed by Charity’s.  The softness of Charity’s plump mouth sends her mind into turmoil and a sensual state of intoxication takes over all coherent thought. She cups Vanessa’s cheeks with her hands, pulling the woman deeper into the kiss.  Vanessa’s hands are at loss of what to do, but she slowly rests them on Charity’s hips.

            Charity breaks the kiss but doesn’t pull away.  Their foreheads are inches apart, Charity’s breathing comes in short spurts, ghosting over Vanessa’s flushed skin.

            ‘I’ve been wanting to do that all day,’ Charity rasps.

            Vanessa does not reply with words.  She grabs Charity’s face and resumes their dance.

            Their lips move in time to a rhythm only they can hear.  Charity pushes into Vanessa’s body; their breasts collide into each other and it becomes difficult to distinguish where one person starts and the other ends.  As the heat builds, Vanessa’s mouth opens slightly, and Charity takes this as an invitation to slide her tongue inside.  A little moan escapes from Vanessa’s throat and Charity feels the vibration tremble across the palms of her hands.  Her passionate response drives Charity onwards and through the cloud of lust that has settled in her brain, she registers her body is pushing Vanessa back against the table, her hands are grabbing hold of her thighs and she is propelling the smaller woman up onto it.  Eager to feel close, Charity coaxes Vanessa backwards so her back is flush against the table and Charity settles between the woman’s jean-clad legs.

            Wanting to gain a bit of control back, Vanessa’s hands slide away from Charity’s face to start a journey down to the buttons on Charity’s top.  One by one they pop out of their restraint.  Through the drug that is Charity’s lips, Vanessa feels the blouse’s zip give way.  Cold air tickles at her chest and the contrast in temperature causes her nipples to harden further.  The heels of her shoes hook around the back of Charity’s thighs and she pulls the woman’s groin closer to hers.  The heat from her core is like molten lava ready to erupt.     

            Just as Charity’s hand begins to latch onto the button of Vanessa’s jeans, the door bursts open behind them.  ‘How long does it take to get…’ Chas begins to rant but trails off as her eyes take in the scene in front of her.  ‘Oh, no, no, no, this can’t be happening.’    

            Vanessa quickly pushes Charity off her and begins straightening her clothes. She pulls up the golden zip and moves towards Chas and the bar.

            Without looking Chas in the eye, Vanessa mutters, ‘I think I had better…’ and she points through the door in the direction of the bar.  She disappears out of the room without looking back, but Chas barely notices.  Her eyes remain glaring at Charity as the woman does up the buttons of her top and then runs her fingers through her blonde, slightly messy, locks.

            Charity eventually looks at her cousin, the smirk sliding off her face when she sees Chas’s anger burning a hole through her person.

            ‘I told you not to play with fire, Charity.  And now you’ve brought Vanessa into the flames.  What were you thinking?’ Chas almost shouts.  ‘End it.  End it now, before he finds out.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think is going to happen? Shall Charity continue with whatever game she is playing? What do you think Vanessa is going to do next?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loving the comments, kudos and interactions! Thank you all!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter. It was rather fun to write ; )

The tip of the sun is barely visible as it begins to rise, painting the sky in a mixture of purples, reds, and yellows. The chilly morning air prickles at the skin.  A slight mist hangs on the edges of the village creating a blanket of calmness before the activity starts to thrive.  Birds sing in chorus, waking up the world around them.  The hills surrounding the village are silhouettes against the crimson sky.  A few early risers begin to set up their businesses for the day, Charity being one of them.

            She is currently dressed in her matching grey, long-sleeved top and joggers pyjama set, a silk purple gown loosely tied around her waist, and a black puffer jacket hastily thrown on to keep the cold at bay.  She is chewing on her bottom lip as she scans the list in front of her, ticking the items off as the drayman unloads his lorry.  Unfortunately, it is her turn to do the early morning delivery. However, when she spots Vanessa making her way through the village, wrapped up in a yellow coat, dark blue scarf and a blue beanie hat, a smile makes an appearance and she feels energised. She quickly finishes the checklist, signs the documentation and leaves the drayman to finish on his own.  She saunters over to an unawares Vanessa.

            ‘Lovely morning,’ Charity calls out.  ‘Nothing like chilly air to fill your lungs.’

            Vanessa’s strides slow down and her eyes dart towards her boss.  They turn to look further up the road and then across to the café opposite, watching as Bob goes about setting out boards, before returning towards the woman who has been on her mind all night.  Taking a deep breath, she makes her way towards Charity, hands shoved into her pockets.

            ‘Morning, Charity,’ she says flatly.

            ‘I’m up for the drayman.  What brings you out here at,’ she checks her watch.  ‘Quarter to seven?’

            ‘Fancied a morning walk.’

            ‘Bit of an early bird, are ya?’

            Vanessa lowers her eyes to the side.  ‘If you must know, I barely slept.  So good luck if I get any orders right today.’

            Charity leans forwards and nudges Vanessa with her elbow.  ‘Have I been dancing around in that head of yours?’ Vanessa refuses to look up and she sucks on her bottom lip.  Charity’s eyes widen and she chuckles.  ‘God, I’m right, aren’t I?  But what can I say, you’re dealing with this,’ and she opens her arms out to indicate her body.  Vanessa rolls her eyes and focuses them back on Charity.

            ‘You’re full of yourself.’

            ‘Well, if you’ve got it…’ says Charity with a tilt of the head, leaving the rest of the sentence unfinished.

            ‘And you’ve got it in spades, Charity.  No one can deny that.’  She pauses and nibbles on her bottom lip.  A frown of concentration settles over her features.  Decision made, she lifts her head and looks Charity in the eyes. ‘Look, about yesterday, whatever it was, it can’t happen again.  You’re my boss.’

            ‘So? When has that stopped people before?’

            Charity knew she shouldn’t be encouraging whatever is between them, but like many times in her life, she never listened to reason.

            Vanessa looks away again and shoves her hands deeper into her pockets.  Tiny crinkles blossom on her forehead.

            ‘It’s a bad idea.  I’ll see you later.’

            Vanessa starts to make her way up the village but is halted by the gentle pressure on her arm.

            ‘Aw Ness, come on, it’s just a bit of fun.  What harm can it do?’  Vanessa turns back round, and the pressure slides away as Charity’s hand fall back against her side.  ‘It can be our little secret.’

            ‘That’s what he said,’ Vanessa mutters. ‘It was a bad idea then and it is a bad idea now.’

            ‘Who said?’

            ‘It doesn’t matter.  Yesterday was a mistake.  Let’s leave it like that, okay?  See you at two.’ 

            Vanessa walks away before the other woman can reply.  Charity watches Vanessa’s strides quicken.  She carries on watching her until she disappears behind the café.

            _What just happened?_ Charity wonders.  The clanging of barrels brings her back to the moment.  With a frown on her face, Charity turns back to the pub and heads back inside.

 

***** ***** *****

 

It’s barely twelve thirty and Charity has already managed to aggravate five punters, mess up two food orders and get a rollicking from Chas for good measure.  It was not going to be her day.  To top it off, a certain someone is still not answering her calls.  And now Charity is on her sixth answerphone message while punters line the bar waiting to be served.

            The familiar shrill of the answerphone kicks in.

            ‘Have you changed phone numbers or something?  Will you just pick up?  I’m getting tired of hearing my own voice, and before you say it, I know, that’s hard to believe.  At least leave me a grunt, you’re good at that.  Let me know you’re still alive.  Just ring me back, yeah?’  Charity hangs up for the umpteenth time and pockets her phone.

            She turns to the full bar and paints a smile on.  She starts to head over to a punter when she sees Rhona walk through the doors and head over to the bar.  At the same time, Chas walks through from the back.

            ‘Ah, Chas, great timing.  These people need serving,’ Charity points to said people as she makes her way over to Rhona.

            Chas’s eyes glance along the five people waiting to be served.

            ‘Have you lost the use of your eyesight?’ Chas asks.  ‘What have you actually been doing?’  Charity goes to speak but is interrupted.  ‘On second thoughts, I don’t care.  I should be used to this by now.  If we go under, it’ll be down to you.’

            ‘Babe.  We’re the only pub in the village.  We’ll never go under.’

            Chas rolls her eyes and goes to the disgruntled man on the far side of the bar. Meanwhile, Charity hones in on Rhona as she sits down on the stool.

            ‘Hi, Rhona.  How has your day been?’

            ‘Erm, fine.’  Rhona stares at Charity like she has grown a second head.

            ‘Seen much of Vanessa since she’s been living here?’

            Rhona relaxes her body and raises her eyebrows.  Vanessa told her what happened between the two of them the other day. As soon as her shift had ended, she texted Rhona to say she was coming over.  They had shared a bottle of red and spoke until the early hours.  Rhona could see the attraction, it would be hard not to, but from what little she knew of Charity, Vanessa was better off not getting involved romantically.  But half the time Vanessa was a law on to herself, their university years proved that. However, Vanessa wasn’t stupid. Misguided, maybe, but never stupid. Whatever she does is with good intentions. 

            ‘Considering we live in the same village, it’s hard not to.’

            ‘How’s she settling in?’

            ‘Charity.  What’s this really about?  You hardly speak to me only to serve me drinks and food.  Now all of a sudden, I’m your confidante?’

            ‘I’m just trying to get to know my regulars.’

            ‘Just stay away from her, okay?’

            Charity frowns and rests her elbow across the bar.

            ‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’

            ‘Keep your distance.’

            ‘It’s a bit hard to, Babe.  She works here.  I’m her boss. Close contact, it kind of goes with the territory.’

            ‘Let her do her job.  That’s it. She wants to start a new life, not repeat the one she left behind.’

            Charity’s stomach clenches.  Vanessa’s previous words swim through her head and she can’t ignore them.  She inches a bit closer.

            ‘Has this got something to do with a bloke?’

            ‘What has she said?’

            ‘Not a lot really.  Something about not wanting to repeat the same mistakes again.’

            Rhona glances down at the beer mat in front her, picks at it a few times and then looks Charity in the eye.

            ‘It’s not my place to say.  Be careful, Charity.  She’s not as strong as she makes out to be.’  

            Charity slowly nods her head and then sets about getting Rhona’s lunch order and drink.  She leaves Rhona to her own devices and manages to actually help Chas with the rest of the punters, which earns her a silent eyebrow raise from her cousin. 

            The next hour and a half pass in a blur as people come in for their Sunday roasts before food orders stop.  By the time Vanessa walks in for her shift, the rush starts to die down.  She notices Charity taking an order from a couple. Vanessa smiles at her when she glances her way and carries on into the living room to dump her stuff.  Chas is sitting on the sofa, watching TV and enjoying a cup of tea.  Vanessa greets her without making eye contact.  Instead, her eyes look in the direction of the kitchen table, then quickly flicker away again before she is caught.

            ‘You’re better off staying well clear, trust me, love,’ Chas says.

            Vanessa nearly stumbles over her feet at the comment, especially as she wasn’t expecting Chas to say anything more.

            ‘Sorry?’ Vanessa replies as she hangs up her coat.

            Chas shifts around to face the tiny woman.  ‘Charity hasn’t got the best track record when it comes to relationships.’

            A sharp punching sensation hits Vanessa in the stomach and she has this need to defend Charity.  Which is strange considering only this morning she was having similar thoughts.

            ‘Does any of us?’  Vanessa tilts her head.  Without giving Chas chance to reply, she continues.  ‘It doesn’t matter anyway; nothing is going to happen.  Right, I better head out there.’ 

            Vanessa smiles, turns and walks into the bar before Chas can say anything more. Charity is concentrating on a page in a magazine and she is twirling a pen between her fingers.  Vanessa gazes around the pub and for once, there is nothing else to occupy her boss’s time.  She gravitates towards her and peers over her shoulder.

            ‘I never had you down for a crossword type of woman.’

            Charity barely flinches.  ‘I’m full of surprises me, Babe.’  She turns to look over her shoulder.  Her smirk is firmly in place.  ‘Just a shame you’re not interested in discovering them.’

            ‘Do you ever stop?’

            ‘Not when there’s something I want.’ 

            ‘Charity…’

            ‘I know, I know.  You can’t blame a girl for trying.’  She turns fully to face Vanessa and watches as her eyes darken.  ‘I bet a part of you is enjoying it though.’

            As much as Vanessa hated to admit it, Charity was right.  She brings out her flirty and reckless side and she cannot resist but to react in kind.  She leans towards Charity, her mouth lifting up at the corner.

            ‘You don’t know the half of it.’  Vanessa smiles and turns to the waiting punter on the other side.  ‘What can I get you?’

            Charity watches Vanessa banter with the gentleman.  He’s playing all the lines, and though she is laughing in all the right places and smiling, it doesn’t feel real.  Vanessa is playing her part, to which Charity knows only too well. So, when Vanessa catches her eye as she turns to collect a bottle of wine, Charity indulges in the blossoming of her irises as they darken into fresh bluebells that line the valley to her heart.  Her breathing momentarily pauses, and with the breaking of eye contact, her breathing resumes once again.

            She shouldn’t be doing this, feeling this way, but there was something about Vanessa which keeps drawing her in.  An innocence maybe, or a purity that lifts Charity’s sinful broken pieces. Vanessa had already rejected her and while she liked a challenge, she didn’t see Vanessa as a conquest to inflate her already inflated ego.  Vanessa is, well, Vanessa.  She may not know much about her, but she knew she wanted her, more than she ever wanted anyone.  More than Jai.  More than Declan.  God forbid, even more than Cain, which therein lay the problem.  Chas was right, she should end whatever it is that’s developing.  Vanessa did try.  The only thing is, Charity knows Vanessa wants her too.  It’s in the sly glances she casts her way when she thinks she’s not looking.  It’s in the little throwaway comments.  The woman has practically admitted it on a couple of occasions.  And then there was yesterday on the kitchen table.  She had never been so turned on in her life.  And now Vanessa’s little hips are swaying back and forth every time she moves.  Charity’s hands itch with the need to touch them.  To bring them flush against her own.  A tiny groan expels from her throat and Vanessa looks back at her, a curious look on her face before she continues serving the punter in front of her.  Charity decides to collect glasses, outside.

            As soon as she steps into the cool air, she takes a deep breath.  And then another.  She watches as warm clouds drift from her mouth into the darkening sky. She walks over to one of the benches and starts picking up wine and beer glasses and placing them in the carrier. She does the same with the other two benches.  When she finishes, instead of going back inside, she sits down at a bench and places the carrier to one side.  Charity reaches into her trouser pocket to retrieve her phone.  She lights up the screen.  She growls.  Nothing. Radio silence again.  Half the time she doesn’t know why she even bothers. Their relationship has always been trouble.  It was never going to change.  But she is comfortable with that, it is “safe”.  She knows what to expect.  Vanessa on the other hand…

            She closes her eyes and leans her head back.  She opens them.  Pale stars start to pepper the sky.  The moon is fading into existence.  The night is drawing in and a few regulars make their way towards their waterhole. Charity nods her head at Rishi as he passes by.

            ‘There you are.’  Charity spins around.  Chas is standing in the pub’s doorway.  ‘Vanessa said you disappeared fifteen minutes ago.  I know you work at a snail’s pace, but – ‘

            ‘Alright Chas, I get it,’ Charity snaps.

            Charity grabs the carrier and makes her way back inside.  As she nears her cousin, Chas says, ‘Are you okay?’  

            ‘Cosmic,’ she replies without pausing.  She bashes through the doors, almost hitting Megan in the face.

            ‘Watch it!’ says Megan.

            ‘It would have been an improvement,’ snaps Charity.  She brushes past the woman.

            Chas walks in and Megan asks, ‘What’s wrong with her?’

            ‘She’s like a wasp caught in a tornado, that one.’

            Meanwhile, Charity’s eyes roam the bar.  They narrow when they do not find Vanessa.  She clenches her jaw and her frustration builds.  She feels it rolling around inside her like the undercurrent of a wave, building until ready to break.  She wants to scream.  She’s angry at Chas hovering around her like a bad smell.  She’s angry at the volume of people talking.  She’s angry at the way Rodney stumbles up to the bar, shoving an empty whisky glass into her face.

            ‘How about a sneaky snifter to keep the old ticker going?’ he slurs.

            Charity turns her eyes to him and burns him with the heat of her pupils.  ‘How about you get out my face.  Chas,’ she shouts, ‘I’m going on my break!’

            ‘You just had a…’ but Charity has already stormed off.  Chas sighs.  ‘Why do I even bother?’

            Charity slams the living room door, chucks her phone onto the kitchen table, pulls open a cupboard drawer and grabs her expensive bottle of gin.  She pours a generous measure into a glass and downs it. She pours another and does the same. She goes for a third but stops halfway to her lips.  She thumps the glass onto the kitchen counter, gin sloshes up the sides.  She storms back through the door she previously slammed and sees Vanessa stepping out from the cellar, wiping her hands against her jeans. Without giving it a second thought, she clutches Vanessa’s hand and drags her into the living room and closes the door behind them.  

‘What do yo -’ Charity spins her around and collides her lips with Vanessa’s.  Her open-mouth vies for dominance, lapping at the nectar that falls from Vanessa’s lips.  Vanessa’s small body melts into the arms that have made their way around her waist, pulling her closer until she is unable to pull anymore.  She ends up propelling the small woman into the door.  A tiny squeak escapes Vanessa.  The other woman’s hands snake around Charity’s shoulder blades, clinging on as her knees weaken beneath her.

Charity pulls back.  Laboured breathing mingles harmoniously.  Their hearts thud against their breastbone in time with one another.  Vanessa’s eyes flutter open; matching dilated pupils collide, earth meets water.

‘Did that feel like a bad idea to you?’ Charity whispers.  Her voice trickling over like honey.  Vanessa shakes her head “no”.  ‘Do you want me to show you a good idea?’  Vanessa gazes into the wilderness that is Charity’s eyes.  She doesn’t just look at the woman but looks into her as if she can see the truth behind the words.  Charity is afraid.  Not of Vanessa herself, but of the feelings the woman ignites.  Vanessa smiles and nods.  Her breathing quickens, as does the irregularity of her heartbeat as it pounds away at her inner walls.    

Charity slides her hand down Vanessa’s arm until their fingers entwine.  With a tug, Charity guides them through the other door and proceeds to make her way up the stairs.  Charity’s abandoned mobile phone starts to vibrate.  The screen illuminates with the name of the caller.  The mobile continues to vibrate for another minute and then the screen goes black.  A few seconds later it lights up again with one missed call.  From Cain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure you can work out who "he" is now! Are you happy with it?
> 
> As much as I love Vanity, I very much enjoyed the dynamics between these two. Things are going to get rather interesting when a certain someone returns to the village.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! 
> 
> I apologise profoundly for my late update, but work has been hectic and I've been suffering from a major case of writer's block. Anyway, it's here and I hope it was worth the wait.
> 
> Hopefully, my next chapter won't take so long to post! (Can't make any guarantees though!)

Charity’s bedroom door closes and there is no more hiding.  Lust, passion, desire, call it what you will, comes crawling to the surface and the world around the two blondes, melt away.  It’s just the two of them driven by a hunger to consume one another.  Every kiss is filled with a raw intensity – teeth collide, tongues grapple for dominance, breathing grows fast, the heart beats faster.  Hands are felt through their clothes; material becomes bunched as each woman rushes to feel the skin on skin.  They move weightlessly across the room until Vanessa’s back legs catch the edge of the bed and gravity takes over.  Charity lands on the tiny blonde prompting a ‘humph’ from both of them.  They giggle.

‘Sorry,’ Charity smiles, eyes staring into Vanessa’s. They are an arctic blue, but shine with the warmth of the sun, inviting Charity to take the plunge.  She pushes Vanessa’s hair off of her face.  ‘You’re beautiful.’

Vanessa’s cheeks blossom into two red roses and her eyes momentarily flicker to the side as shyness creeps in.  Her eyes return to stare into the heat of Charity’s.

‘Just kiss me,’ she whispers.

Charity’s smile increases and her focus drops to Vanessa’s swollen lips.  Their kissing resumes, but this time, clothing starts to slide from their bodies as they crawl further onto the bed.  Like leaves falling from autumn trees, material carpets the floor around them. Only the delicate lace of their underwear remains.

Charity watches her index finger glide down the valley of Vanessa’s breasts to her stomach to her bellybutton, dip inside, and continue until it reaches her knickers.  Vanessa’s skin quivers and she watches the tip of her lover’s finger sneak under the material and stroke the tender skin found there.  Charity’s eyes snap up and lock onto blue pools already cascading into a tsunami.  Vanessa’s breathing becomes heavier.  Charity removes her finger and icicles settle in its place.  However, they soon melt away when Charity’s finger disappears into the moistened cave of her mouth and releases with a pop.  A light sheen coats its tip.  Charity smirks.  Her pupils dilate as she guides the finger back to the valley of Vanessa’s breasts. Vanessa sucks her bottom lip into her mouth once.  Twice. Three times.  She gasps as the cooling wetness hits her inflamed skin. Charity’s finger retraces its previous path, but delves beyond Vanessa’s knicker line, fights its way through short wiry hairs, to a pulsating pearl straining to be touched.

Her breathing has become uncontrollable and she feels her hips begin to rock against Charity’s hand.  Vanessa knows she will not be able to last, so decides to take some control back.  In a move that startles both women, Vanessa brings her hand up to wrap around the back of Charity’s neck and anchors herself up, colliding their lips together.  She uses Charity’s distraction to swing her leg over, and she ends up straddling Charity’s hips with Charity now laying on her back.  Charity’s eyes widen and then crinkle at the edges.  She gazes up at the woman, head cushioned against the pillow.  An eyebrow arches.

‘Feisty,’ Charity says.

‘You’re about to find out just how much.’  She winks and closes the gap between them, skin sliding against skin, she takes all the nectar Charity gives as their tongues commence in battle. 

Vanessa’s own hand disappears under Charity’s lacy knickers, the patterned material scratching at the back of her hand.  The friction fuels Vanessa’s desire to see Charity writhe under her touch.  Charity moans into Vanessa’s mouth and her hand goes back between Vanessa’s thighs and feeds the heat flickering away at her core.  Legs become entangled and sweat shimmers across the surface of their bodies as they burn with the need to find their release.

 

***** ***** *****

 

A comforting warmth settles within Charity. Vanessa has her back to her.  The woman clasps her bra together and swivels it around into place.  She then bends down for her top.  Charity watches as Vanessa glides it over her head to cover her cream coloured skin, its softness etched into Charity’s brain.  Her smile widens with the memory of Vanessa’s muscles twitching under her touch. Her bare shoulders tingle as the chill of the room begins to pick at her skin.  She pulls the duvet further up her body and relaxes back into the bed’s warmth, a sigh leaving her lips.  Vanessa shifts to face Charity, cheeks a rosy hue.  Her eyes shimmer like the sun hitting the ocean’s surface.  Charity’s eyes darken.

‘Don’t look at me like that,’ Vanessa says.

‘I’m not!’  Charity smirks.

‘Yes, you are.’

‘Can you blame me, Babe?  After your talents?  For a small woman, you have a lot of power.’

Vanessa leans across the bed, her eyes roaming from Charity’s eyes to her mouth, to the mole nestled between her breasts then back to a pair of emerald eyes.

‘So do you,’ Vanessa whispers against Charity’s lips before claiming them.

Charity whimpers when Vanessa pulls back.  ‘Not so fast.’  Charity deepens the kiss and slowly encourages Vanessa back into her body.  Vanessa’s hand finds its way under the cover and caresses Charity’s breast, her nipple perks up at the attention it receives.  A moan vibrates along Charity’s throat.  She pulls Vanessa further onto the bed to settle between her legs.  Charity’s hand explores on its own accord; dancing across denim clad buttocks and slips along Vanessa’s inner thigh.  Charity flinches when Vanessa roughly pinches her sensitive areola, but instead of pulling away, she increases the pressure on Vanessa’s mouth, demanding more from the smaller woman, and rolls her onto her back, trapping Vanessa within the duvet.

‘Mum!’  A deep voice, breaking in places, bellows from downstairs, but it goes unnoticed.  It is followed by the creaking of the stairs. ‘Mum! Chas says stop being lazy!’

The heat from their bodies is quickly dowsed as Charity’s wide eyes stare down into Vanessa’s.

‘Shit.  Noah. Quick, move, move,’ says Charity.

‘Well, get off me then.’

Charity rolls away, but when Vanessa goes to do the same, it is straight onto the floor, not realising how close to the edge of the bed she was.  A heavy thump echoes about the bedroom.

‘Mum?’  Noah’s sombre tone is outside the door.

‘Hide,’ Charity whispers.

Vanessa frowns.  ‘What?’

‘Don’t just lie there.  Hide.’

‘Where?’

‘You’re a smart woman,’ Charity grabs her purple dressing gown from the back of the door and flings it on, roughly tying the belt in a knot.  ‘Think of something.’ 

‘Mum?  Are you okay?’

Charity looks behind to see no Vanessa in sight. She opens the door.  Noah is frowning, his mobile phone held in his hand with a game paused on his screen.  His eyes roam over Charity’s attire.

‘Have you just got up?’

‘Excuse me.  I’ve been working.’

Noah scoffs.  ‘That’s not what Chas said.’

Charity raises her eyebrows and crosses her arms. ‘And what has my delightful cousin been saying?’

‘Something about schmoozing and shouting at customers.’

‘Rodney was pushing his luck.  He deserved it.’

‘Whatever.’  Noah’s eyes drift back to his phone and he begins walking towards his bedroom, head bent over his phone screen.  ‘Chas wants you back downstairs.’

‘Tell her I’ll be down in a -’ Noah slams his bedroom door shut.  ‘…minute. Teenagers.’  She rolls her eyes and closes her own door again.  She scans her room.

‘You shouted at Rodney?’  Vanessa’s strong Yorkshire accent flitters about the room.  Charity frowns and kneels down to peer under her bed. Vanessa has managed to squeeze herself into the tiny gap between the bottom of the bed and the floor.

‘How have you gotten under there?’

‘I don’t actually know.’  Vanessa wriggles but barely moves.  ‘But I may need some help to get out.’

Charity makes her way over to Vanessa, wraps her fingers around her ankles and starts to pull, leaning back into the gravity.

‘Suck in.’

‘I am.’

‘Suck in some more.’

‘I’ve sucked in all I can!’

After a few tugs and some choice words, Vanessa slips free and Charity lands on her bottom. 

‘Next time pick a better hiding place,’ Charity says as she hauls herself back onto her feet.

Vanessa looks up at her boss.  ‘Next time?’

‘You’re saying you don’t want this to happen again?’ Vanessa smiles.  ‘Thought so.’

‘I still think it’s a bad idea.’  Vanessa stands, rubbing her hands down her trousers and then walks over to the other side of the room for her shoes.

‘You can walk away now, strictly employer and employee relationship.’

Vanessa sighs.  She practically glides over to Charity, her hand reaching up to cup Charity’s cheek. ‘Charity.  From the night we met, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. I’ve been dreaming of what it would be like to be with you like,’ she nods to the bed, ‘this.’  Her eyes search Charity’s, looking for something, some form of recognition of what she is feeling.  ‘And now that I have, do you really think I can just walk away?  Go back to a working relationship?  It was never going to be _just_ a working relationship. Even before we slept together.’

Charity’s lips soften the longer she stares into Vanessa’s eyes, watching various emotions paint shades of blue in her irises.

‘Charity, I’ve never been with a woman before, not even kissed a woman.  I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.  I don’t even know what “this” is.  All I know is that I have never felt this way before, even with…that doesn’t matter.  I just want to carry on enjoying whatever it is between us.’  Vanessa reaches up on her tiptoes and pecks Charity on the lips. ‘I had better go. My shift would have finished.’  She walks over to the door, opens it and peaks out onto the landing.  After a few seconds, making sure Noah isn’t lurking about, she looks over her shoulder, winks at Charity and then disappears.  Charity barely hears her as she makes her way down the stairs.  Charity listens for the click of the back door.  It comes, along with an unsettling tightness in her belly at Vanessa’s absence.

Barely a minute’s gone by and Charity is already craving the need to feel Vanessa’s warmth against her lips.  To hear her voice whisper against the shell of her ear. Heat burns at the love bite branded on her left breast.  This is ridiculous, she thinks.  She can’t be feeling this way about someone she barely knows, can she?

She shakes her head, freeing herself from the turbulent thoughts, and makes her way downstairs and into the kitchen.  She fills the kettle and sets it to boil.  She turns and leans back against the counter while she waits, a gentle smile creeps onto her face as she stares off into space.  She is swiftly brought out of her daydream when Chas comes storming into the room.

‘There you are.  I sent Noah up to get – why are you in your nightgown?’  Chas gazes around the room.  ‘And where’s Vanessa?’

The kettle pings and Charity turns her back on her cousin to set about making a cup of tea.  ‘Her shift ended.  She’s gone home.’

‘Without saying goodbye?  Doesn’t sound like her.  Anyway, that doesn’t explain why you’re in your…No, you didn’t.’  Charity’s shoulders hunch at the shift in Chas’s tone and her stirring slows, the sound of the teaspoon hitting against the side of the mug becomes deafening.  ‘Please tell me you didn’t.’

Charity picks up her cup, turns to face Chas and takes a sip of her tea, cringing as the scalding water hits the roof of her mouth.

‘Did you want a tea?’

‘Charity, how could you?  She’s barely been with us for five minutes!  I dread to think what Cain’s going to do when he finds out.’

Charity quickly places her cup on the counter and straightens her body.  Her eyes harden as she glares at Chas. 

‘He’s not going to find out because there’s nothing going on.  And so what if there was?  Cain’s the one who left me behind to disappear off to France.’

‘On a job, you set up and practically forced him to do?’

‘Oh, come on, Chas.  Cain’s a big boy.  When have I ever had to force him to do anything?  Besides, I wanted to go with him.’

‘So why didn’t you?’

‘Because that idiot didn’t give me the chance.  I didn’t even get to pack my underwear when he called and said he was on the ferry.  And now he won’t answer any of my bloody calls.’

Chas rubs at her temples with her thumb and index finger. Her shoulders rise slightly as her muscles tense.  If she was a cartoon character, she would have steam coming out of her ears.  She sighs.

‘Just please, leave Vanessa alone.  Whatever sordid game you and my brother are playing, I don’t want Vanessa to get caught up in it.  For once in your life Charity, do the right thing.’  With that, Chas turns and walks out of the room, leaving Charity to her thoughts.

She knows Chas is right, she’s always bloody right, but she can’t leave Vanessa alone.  She doesn’t want to.  Vanessa was right.  It was different.  They were different.  She feels different.  

Growling out her frustration, she notices her mobile on the counter opposite her.  She snatches it up, wakes up the screen.  Her stomach hurls at the missed call from Cain.  With her pulse pounding in her eardrums, Charity opens her voicemail and listens to the message.

‘Charity, pick up you daft bint.’  His voice, once able to turn her muscles to jelly, sends a chill throughout her body.  ‘The job’s fallen through.  It’s too risky.  You shouldn’t have set it up in the first place!  What were you thinking, getting involved with guys like that?  Hasn’t your past taught you anything?’  Cain sighs.  ‘Anyway, I’m coming back.  I’ll see you sometime tomorrow and maybe I can knock some sense into you.’  There’s static and then the message cuts off.

‘Shit,’ says Charity.

  

 


End file.
